Theory:
That all children develop certain behavioural characteristics that are dependent on whether they are youngest, middle, oldest or only children.
The Only Child:
- Keen on facts, ideas and details
- A ‘mover and shaker’ in their work
- Unforgiving and demanding
- Doesn’t handle criticism well
- Lonely and spoiled
The Youngest Child:
- Likes entertaining and showing off
- Gets bored easily
- Charming one minute, hard to deal with the next
- Worries about not being take seriously
- Immature and spoiled
The Middle Child:
- Good at making friends and getting on with people
- A good mediator and negotiator
- Quietly rebellious but avoids confrontation
- Worries about being overlooked
- A people-pleaser who gets walked over
The Oldest Child:
- Likely to be successful and responsible
- A hard working perfectionist
- Pushed by the parents, who have high expectations
- Pushes others too hard
- A bossy boots
